Mail-box support



May 11 ,1926.

J. F. ENGLAND MAIL BOX SUPPORT Filed July 27, 1925 F/ZZE.

I I l I May 11, 1926.

JAMES F. ENGLAND, OF LEBANON, MISSOURI.

MAIL-BOX SUPPORT.

Application filed July 27, 1925. Serial No. 46,401.

The present invention relates to mail box supports, such as used for rural mail delivery service, and aims to provide novel and simple means for supporting a mail box so: that it may be projected over the road for the convenience of the mailman in depositing mail matter in the box, and in order that the box may then be conveniently moved to the side of the road.

Another object is the provision of a mail box support of the kind indicated which is simple, strong and inexpensive in construction, and which will be capable of withstanding wear and tear.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the 8CCO111- panying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the device with the mailbox projected over the road.

Fig. 2 same direction with the mail box swung to the side of the road.

Fig. 3 is a. sectional detail on an enlarged scale showing the roller carried by the post for supporting the sleeve thereon.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing said roller and the slot of the sleeve in which the roller is disposed.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a. post 7, which may be of tubular stock, and the lower end thereof is pointed in order that the post may be readily driven into the ground, or the lower end of the post may be embedded in concrete.

A vertical sleeve or pipe section 8 is litted on the upper terminal of the post 7 for sliding and turning movementthereon, said post and sleeve being telescoped together, and an elbow 9 is secured on the upper end of the sleeve 8 and has secured therein a horizontal tubular arm or pipe section 10 in which is slidable or telescoped an extension rod or arm 11 carrying the mail box 12. Said mail box is preferably secured to the rod 11 below the free terminal thereof, and any suitable means may be used to prevent the rod 11 from being completely withdrawn from the arm 10.

The mail box may turn with the arm 10 is a side elevation looking in the er 14 is located between the head 16 of the bolt and the post 7. The upper edge of the slot 13 rides on the roller 14, and has an inclined portion 17 with a depending rounded lug 18 at the lower end of the portion 17 and an upwardly extending notch 19 at that side of the lug opposite to the portion 17.

The parts are so arranged that when the arm 10 is swung to a position at right angles to the road to project toward the center of the road, the notch 19 is disposed over the roller 14:, thereby retaining the arm 10 and mail box 12in the position at right angles to the road. The mail box is set in this position with the rod 11 slid into the arm 10, so that the mail box 12 is adjacent to the end of the arm 10, thereby retracting the mail box so that it will not be in the way of vehiclespassing along the road. lVhen the mail man stops on the road for delivering mail matter, he may, with the aid of a suitable hook or other implement, pull the mail box 12 outwardly toward him, the rod 11 sliding outwardly in the arm 10. This enables the mail box to be pulled outwardly so that the mailman may deposit the mail matter in the box without leaving the ve- L hicle. Then, by swinging the mail box in the proper direction, the sleeve 8 is made to turn on the post 7, to move the lug 18 over th roller 14-, and the inclined portion 17 coming over the roller 14: will cause the sleeve 8 and parts supported thereby to gravitate downwardly slightly on the post 7, and, at the same time, the sleeve 8, arm 10 and box 12 are made to turn to delivery position parallel with the road, as seen in Fig. 2. This will remove the mail box from over the road and swing it to a position where the patron or addressee has convenient access to the box for removing the mail matter therefrom. The mail box being turned from over the road to a position parallel with the road will also serve as a signal that mail matter has been deposited in the box.

The roller 1 f will support the sleeve 8 for free turning movement, and when the lug 18 is moved to one side of the roller 14 the notch 19 engages over the roller for sup porting the mail box in receiving position, whereas when the lug 18 is moved over the roller toward the opposite side the mail box will swing to delivery position. The roller l l being disposed in the slot 13 also limits the movement of the sleeve 8 on the post 7.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A device of the character described comprising a post, a sleeve rotatable and slidable thereon, a mail box supporting arm connected to said sleeve, said sleeve having a slot, and a member carried by the post and located in said slot, the upper edge of said slot being formed with an inclined portion to bear on said member for turning the sleeve and arm to one position by the gravitation of the sleeve on the post, and the upper edge of said slot being formed with a portion at the lower end of said inclined portion to engage over said member and hold the sleeve in raised position wlth the arm turned ironi the firstnamed position.

2. A device of the character described comprising-a post, a sleeve rotatable and slidable thereon, a mail box supporting arm connected to said sleeve, the sleeve having a slot, and a roller carried by the post and disposed in said slot, the upper edge of the slot bearing on said roller and being formed to provide a ing to move over the roller, a notch at one side of the lug to engage over the roller for holding the arm in one position, and an inclined portion at the opposite side of the lug to move on the roller and turn the sleeve by the gravitation thereof to move the arm to another position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES F. ENGLAND. 

